In an effort to not clutter up the Parlor with my topics, I'd like to create this thread where anyone can post breaking news that they find engaging. It's a place to post stuff that maybe doesn't need an entire thread devoted to it. I encourage you to post your news and reaction to the news as well.

I'll start off. I was really excited to read about the first strikes in Walmart's history. There will be protests at 1,000 stores on Black Friday. Let me repeat that. 1,000 stores.

_________________The above has probably offended you. I have found it impossible to post to these forums without offending someone. I have preemptively said 25 hail seitans in the hope that I may appease the ppk gods and not be smote from these boards.

I have a visceral "no way in hell" reaction to this, but then again, why the hell not. Everything else sells out. Isn't it usually private donations though anyway and not all taxpayer money?

One of my best memories is camping out by the Canadian embassy with my dad to watch the parade when Bush Sr was inaugurated. Later, we were able to find tickets on the ground and sneak into the gated stands immediately across from the dignitary viewing stand. It was pretty darn cool.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

According to 2011 US Census Bureau estimates, California's population was 39.7% Non-Hispanic White, 6.6% Black or African American, 13.6% Asian, 1.0% American Indian, 0.4% Pacific Islander and 3.6% from two or more races. 74.0% of the total population are White persons and 38.1% of the total population are Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

So basically, they are more diverse in generally than the state itself. Blacks and Hispanics aren't as represented but honestly, I think that has a lot to do with the overall education system rather than recruitment.

I'm all for diversity, I'm all for promoting diversity, but I'm not sure such policy/demands should be placed by students in such a way especially when schools like UC Berkeley are having major budget cuts/challenges. It is more than the state of California doesn't place education as high as it should.

And I should add that I don't know how UC admissions work now days but when I went to school, they based it on your rank within your school for sake of some sort of fairness. That way generally if you went to a high school with little funding (generally schools that have more minorities), you still had a chance of getting in because you weren't competing against other schools, you were competing against other people at your school.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

Look, I grew up scared of cops but you know what, there are bad seeds in every profession where power comes into play. Whether it is a doctor, a politician, a copy, whatever.

Now I don't know if it is newsworthy for a cop to hand over boots to someone without shoes but there are kind people in the world, even in professions that have had a lot of bad publicity due to bad seeds. I'd say you get a lot further if you give people a chance rather than thinking the worst.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

Look, I grew up scared of cops but you know what, there are bad seeds in every profession where power comes into play. Whether it is a doctor, a politician, a copy, whatever.

It's totally true that not all cops are dicks. But I think their main job is enforcing property rights and the resulting economic inequality. So they're a reactionary force as a whole. And they broke my glasses at Occupy! But I was mostly being snarky.

I would say the law's primary job historically is enforcing property rights - its role is obviously expanded at this point. BUT, cops on the beat are more involved with maintaining social order and that OFTEN involves a huge proportion of their job being positive interactions with people who are in a bad place. In New York many cops spend a lot of time working on getting homeless people to resources because that's their actual job and why they're on the street. It does not benefit anybody to have homeless, mentally ill, or addicted people starving or freezing to death on the streets.

I would imagine most cops would say they got into the profession because they wanted to help people.

It does not benefit anybody to have homeless, mentally ill, or addicted people starving or freezing to death on the streets.

I'm not sure if this is true. Having a reservoir of unemployed people to draw from helps corporations by driving down the wages of everyone, who are easily replaceable. The threat of homelessness also serves as a deterrent against struggle. (ie. "Follow the boss' rules or you'll end up on the street.)

There's unemployed and then there's living on the street. You're not exactly spare labor when you don't have clean clothes for an interview, a permanent address, or regular access to a shower. Or if you're off your meds. Corporations benefit a lot more from underemployed people in relatively stable situations who are willing to take second part time jobs without benefits for minimum wage.

It does not benefit anybody to have homeless, mentally ill, or addicted people starving or freezing to death on the streets.

I'm not sure if this is true. Having a reservoir of unemployed people to draw from helps corporations by driving down the wages of everyone, who are easily replaceable. The threat of homelessness also serves as a deterrent against struggle. (ie. "Follow the boss' rules or you'll end up on the street.)

Perhaps you have not had any exposure to homelessness, otherwise I don't think you would say such a thing.